Dietary guidelines espoused by physicians and nutritionists suggest that to maintain optimum function, an individual ought to consume at least about 64 ounces of water or similar non-caffeine containing fluid per day. This amount is generally divided into eight or more 8 oz. glasses. It is suggested that this fluid be consumed at regular intervals throughout the day. Such a dosing regimen is reasonably convenient, and assures that adequate hydration of the human body is constantly maintained.
Problems arise, however, in remembering such details as the number of glasses already consumed, the time between servings and the amount of fluids consumed in each serving and in total throughout the day. Thus, individuals often tend to consume rather large quantities at one sitting in order to satisfy the daily requirements with the least amount of bother. The problem with this approach is that elimination of such large quantities often becomes problematic. Further, the rapidity of such elimination can actually be counter-productive to the goal of proper hydration, since fluid overloading coupled with rapid hydration can lead to abnormal levels of anti-diuretic hormone production, resulting in the body becoming somewhat dehydrated or electrolytically imbalanced.
The instant invention provides for a dispensing device containing volumetric measuring indicia for monitoring the amount of fluid currently contained in, or consumed from, the vessel; and a time monitoring device having multiple programming mode capability. Such capabilities enable the device to portray the current time, alert the consumer to the passage of a particularly desired time interval, e.g. 1, 2, 4 hours or the like; maintain a real-time summary of total fluids consumed, rate of consumption, time interval between consumption, and the like data.